While portable devices such as smartphones have become increasingly capable, they have also become lighter and more compact. In order to increase the capabilities of such a device without adding permanent weight and size, the assignee of the present application has popularized a modular device system wherein different modules or “mods” can be docked to the base device when needed or desired and removed when not needed or desired. Examples of potential mods include sound mods, radio mods, television mods, camera mods and so on. As the foregoing suggests, these mods would be able to extend the base device's audio, radio, TV and camera capabilities respectively.
In some cases, it may be desired to maintain connectivity between the base device and an attached mod after the mod is undocked or detached from the base device. Moreover, since physical connectivity may be lost upon undocking, such continued connectivity may potentially be wireless. However, current wireless protocols such as Bluetooth and WiFi do not allow seamless continuation of prior physical connectivity via a new wireless connection.
Before proceeding to the remainder of this disclosure, it should be appreciated that the disclosure may address some of the shortcomings listed or implicit in this Background section. However, any such benefit is not a limitation on the scope of the disclosed principles, or of the attached claims, except to the extent expressly noted in the claims.
Additionally, the discussion of technology in this Background section is reflective of the inventors' own observations, considerations, and thoughts, and is in no way intended to be, to accurately catalog, or to comprehensively summarize any prior art reference or practice. As such, the inventors expressly disclaim this section as admitted or assumed prior art. Moreover, the identification or implication herein of one or more desirable courses of action reflects the inventors' own observations and ideas, and should not be assumed to indicate an art-recognized desirability.